Tuesday, 28 September 2010

Something for the weekend...

It's only Tuesday. But with several long days ahead of me and lots to do, I'm already harking towards the weekend. And with good reason - this Saturday sees the arrival of the Manchester Anarchist Bookfair.

“Everything you wanted to know abut anarchism but you were too afraid to ask”Members of different anarchist groups including Class War, the Anarchist Federation and Solidarity Federation talk about their organisations and offer their definition of anarchism.
This will be followed by a Question and Answer session.

“Steal a little and they throw you in gaol. Steal a lot and they make you king”
The case for prison abolition
Professor Joe Sim: Liverpool John Moores University

"Nick Heath - the Third Revolution”
Nick Heath on the wave of rebellions and uprisings of rank-and-file Russian workers and peasants across the country in 1919-1921 against the Bolsheviks, who were consolidating their grip on power. Contrary to the Bolsheviks' claims, these rebellions were not reactionary but in fact in support of the original aims of the revolution: socialism, and workers' and peasants' self-management. Taken together they can be referred to as a Third Revolution.

“Class Struggle in India, Gurgaon Workers' News”
Gurgaon Workers' News are a libertarian communist group in the Indian city of Gurgaon, who publish a newspaper of the same name and actively participate in the various struggles taking place in this industrial hub. A friend of these comrades, who has stayed and worked in Gurgaon for some time, will be discussing the experience, and shedding light on class and class struggle in India. http://www.gurgaonworkersnews.wordpress.com

“Education: Students and Staff Working Together”
Like the rest of the public sector, higher education faces years of savage cuts. This will effect students and university workers alike. Over the last year there has been a number of examples of students and workers joining together to defeat planned cuts. The education workers network has organised this meeting to discuss ways students and staff can work together both locally and nationally to defeat the cuts.

“Zapatista Solidarity Group”
The Manchester Zapatista Solidarity Group and the Honduras Solidarity Group collaborate on the stall and the talk at the Anarchist Bookfair.
Since the coup in Honduras in June 2009, the Human Rights situation in this country has deteriorated dramatically. Labour activists, environmental activists and human rights activists are among the main targets of repression. The Honduras Solidarity Group monitors the situation and publishes a monthly newsletter.

3.30pm: Radical History Walk
Let the Loiterers Resistance Movement take you on a radical history tour of Manchester. Covering politics, culture, communication and more...
(Leaves Dancehouse at 3.30pm)

All in all, a very interesting lineup.

For me, it will also mark a pleasant repreive after two weeks of solid activism, where antifascism, anarchism, and trade unionism have clashed and collaborated to leave me having very little sleep.